Tarantula time again :)

[JDGREEN4ME]

I am sure glad we do not have any of them in good old PA! Did I mention I hate spiders? /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[sassafraspete]

I'll trade you my yellow jackets for your tarantula. My kids never had normal pets... which I think somehow related to my wife's facination with weird creatures... (hey , she got me didn't she?). Anyhow, my daughter had the big lizard... (the name escapes me now, getting old), and my son had a tarantula for a pet. Both would on occasion escape from their homes. I once heard a big commotion, and looked up in time to see both the cat and lizard go flying off a second story balcony to the floor below and up a fern plant which was on a plant stand. That lizard could whip the living daylights out of me with his tail. I remember getting up one morning and was getting ready to head down the stairs, and looked down to see my bare foot missing the tarantula by a couple of inches. After doing the jig and almost falling down the stairs, I regained composure and yelled for my wife to "take care of it".

sassafraspete

 

[HomeBrew2]

Thanks for reminding me pete, I need to dump my yellow jacket traps when I get home today /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[NewToy]

Here in the last week I came to notice numerous mounds of dirt in the yard. At first glance they appeared to be medium sized ant hills. Upon closer inspection I observed a hole you could stick your thumb in and then HE came out. This thing was the biggest wasp I had ever seen. Probably 2" long and an aggressive looking set of yellow and red markings. I promptly mixed up some poison like 4X the reccomended strength and sprayed the 50 or so mounds. A few of the wasps came stumbling out of the hole and promptly fell over. Out of curiosity my wife took one of them down to the extension agent and it turned out to be a cicada killing wasp. Eats all the locusts around the house and aerates the soil, also harmless to humans. Probably the best bug to have around but they are no more. That sure was good poison.

John /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[HomeBrew2]

Very interesting. Finally found a pic. May be harmless to humans but a 2"er woulda scared the crap outta me ... similar to my reaction the first time I saw a tarantula wasp.
Cheers!

 

[NewToy]

Homebrew,
I read the thing about the wasps, hit it right on the head. That's why I was so intent on killing them, they seemed very aggressive. I thought they would sting like a spinal tap based on their behavior and sheer size. Thank's for the info.

John

 

[Boomerang1]

I get home from work about 3am and have found tarantulas and scorpions on my back step. I leave my work boots out on the step and always check them well before putting them on. Tarantulas are not poisonous but the scorpions have a nasty sting. One morning, about 2am, I found a diamond back in my driveway.

 

[turnkey4099]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I get home from work about 3am and have found tarantulas and scorpions on my back step. I leave my work boots out on the step and always check them well before putting them on. Tarantulas are not poisonous but the scorpions have a nasty sting. One morning, about 2am, I found a diamond back in my driveway. )</font>

Strangest place I ever found a rattler was in N Idaho. Had a tumble down barn. Winter had built a bit bank of ice in the north end. Early July I found one on the ice. He was so stiff I could have used him as a fence post.

Harry K